@vjm0223

Excellent!!! Thank-you for posting this link. I think there should be warnings when treatment with Prednisone is initiated. The warning should read that we should listen to our doctors who want us to taper off Prednisone as soon and possible. Also, we should only take the "smallest effective dose" and for the "shortest time possible" for PMR/GCA.

I was guilty of listening to internet advice which said increase my Prednisone dose for "niggles of pain" and Prednisone for the "rest of my life" if needed was acceptable. There are some conditions like "primary adrenal insufficiency" where lifelong Prednisone is appropriate.

Sadly ... long term prednisone to treat PMR/GCA often results in "secondary adrenal insufficiency" which makes it very difficult to taper off prednisone. I didn't need any encouragement to take more prednisone for any longer than I already did. I took prednisone for 12 years for PMR which wasn't exactly a success story.

It wasn't that I was "addicted" to prednisone. However, my body was telling me that it "depended" on me to take prednisone.

I didn't find out that my adrenals would be slow to respond and might not make enough cortisol again until 10 years after my first dose of Prednisone. I don't know which condition is less poorly understood --- PMR or secondary adrenal insufficiency from long term Prednisone.

@vjm0223 great article!
and why aren’t doctors referring us to any of this information?

@vjm0223 This is a fantastic article! Thank you so much for sharing it. I have gone down from 20mg to 2 mg in 11 months. I was doing very well until now. This article takes away all the mystery. I am printing it to use a reference. Thank you again!!!

@vjm0223

Thanks so much. It really nailed my experience tapering.